5 Things to prepare you for an Apprenticeship in Hospitality

An Apprenticeship in one of our pubs, hotels or restaurants can be as rewarding as it is challenging, here are 5 things for you to look out for.

But

1. Don’t believe everything you hear!

Working in hospitality is not just about serving food and wiping tables. Here at Greene King, most of our employees consider themselves to be part of a family and their career is extremely important to them. Teamwork is one of the biggest themes across all of our brands and this is evident wherever you go. It is a career that is as rewarding as it is challenging but you have to be prepared to work hard.

2. We’re not all the same

You probably already know that there are many different companies operating in this industry and thousands of pubs, restaurants and hotels you can choose from. So make sure you do your research. For example, did you know that Greene King has several different brands such as Hungry Horse, Flaming Grill and Loch Fyne under its name? That’s a total of over 3,000 businesses across the country and they all deliver something different for our customers. Find one that is right for you and your personality.

3. Ask lots of questions

If you’re lucky enough to get through to an interview or a trial shift, prepare as many questions as you can think of. A career in hospitality is not as straight forward as you might think and there are lots of different routes you can take once you get in. Where do you want to be in 5 year’s time? Great question, because you could literally do anything in a company like ours – Retail Management, HR, Marketing, IT are just some of the business areas you could find yourself moving into. Of course, you might decide you want to run your own pub one day and then you can give this advice to the Apprentices you take on.

4. Get ready to have fun!

Hospitality is not a 9 to 5 career. The people you’ll be working with (and sometimes your customers) will become your friends and you’ll be amazed how much time you actually want to spend at work – even when you’re not actually working. It’s like when you were young and wished you could work in a sweet shop. Except this is a professional environment where you’ll be getting expert training, great benefits and building a wealth of knowledge for a lifelong career in one of the country’s biggest industries.

5. It’s not a career for everyone

And by this, we mean that you can’t just rock up and start. There’s a rigorous selection process and not everybody will get through. You need to prepare fully, plan your application (and your route to interview!), dress to impress and show the company you are applying to why you are the right person for the job. We’ll be posting tips and advice throughout National Apprenticeship Week to give you some of the help you need but follow our Facebook page and if you have any questions, just ask.